Several residents attended the Aug. 1 City Council meeting to confront Councilman Steven Fulop regarding a meeting he orchestrated in May of last year with Christopher Cerf, who at the time was the acting commissioner of education for the state of New Jersey. (Cerf has since been confirmed and last week was sworn in as the permanent commissioner.)

A personal e-mail from Fulop was leaked to the Reporter last month in which Fulop called a secret meeting last May involving one parent group, two members of the Jersey City Board of Education, and three recently elected board members who had yet to be sworn in, and Cerf.

Last week, members of the public held signs blasting Fulop for calling the secret meeting and excluding several other board members and diverse parents’ groups. The protesters charged that Fulop failed to represent the interests of the city’s diverse communities.

Local education issues have become controversial as the Board of Education recently selected a new superintendent of schools, and some objected to the process. Also, Fulop is running for mayor next May against incumbent Jerramiah Healy, and has several close allies on the school board.

“People say they want change, but more often than not they’re scared of it,” Fulop responded last week. “And I can appreciate that. But for 23 years [since the local district was taken over by the state] nobody said anything and I’m getting involved in the education issue because it’s important for the city and I don’t regret it. I’m not taking the approach of doing nothing.”

See related Briefs, below.

Police raise money for baby who died after alleged assault

The Hudson County Sherriff’s Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association was scheduled to host a fundraising baseball game on Saturday, Aug. 4 to help raise money to bury Damien Bruno. The 3-month-old died on July 31 after allegedly being pushed by his father against a window air conditioner while in the arms of his mother, Madeline Calderone. Bruno and Calderone fell three stories to the pavement when the air conditioner gave way.

Before falling from the window, Calderone and another woman were also allegedly stabbed by the baby’s father, Frederico Bruno, Calderone’s ex-boyfriend.

Frederico Bruno has been charged with the assault and attempted murder of the mother in the alleged crime, which has attracted national media attention. Charges regarding the baby were pending as of press time.

The fundraiser was to be held at Eighth Street Park’s Franco Field at 11 a.m. Money will be raised through donations from the participants and attendees, and from the sale of food at the event.

Marvin Adames resigns from school board after promotion in Newark

Marvin Adames, the vice president of the Jersey City Board of Education, has announced his resignation from the board, effective immediately.

Adames, who was first elected to the school board in April 2011, announced his resignation after being confirmed as the Municipal Court Judge in Newark on Aug. 1. In May of this year he was elected to be vice president of the school board. Last year, he led many of the public community forums on the search for a new superintendent of schools. This nationwide search led to the controversial selection of Dr. Maria Lyles as the new superintendent.

“I have invested so much time and energy into the school board, learned so much, and have worked with some really great people,” Adames said in a statement released on Aug. 2. “I was looking forward to continuing on the path to support the vision of the board, as well as be there to transition Dr. Lyles into the role of superintendent. However, at times progressive opportunities only knock once, but more importantly, I had to really consider what was in the very best interest of my family. I was advised by the judiciary that I must resign from the school board, and I do that with regret. I know I leave the district in a better position, in good hands and am optimistic about the new leadership. I look forward to being on the other side of the podium – now as a proud parent of a Jersey City public school student.”

Adames served as the chair of the Board of Education’s legal committee and was instrumental in bringing the youth court concept to Lincoln High School.

“This is a civic program where young people assume courtroom roles and take part in hearings involving school infractions. They are trained by judges and lawyers and gain an early sense of the legal profession,” he said.

Adames, who grew up in Newark and now lives in Jersey City, had served as Newark’s head prosecutor since July 2006.

A spokeswoman for the Board of Education did not respond by press time regarding the procedure for replacing Adames on the board.

Lyles could sign contract this week

With the first day of the 2012-2013 school year just a month away, it appears Dr. Marcia Lyles, the incoming superintendent of schools, will start her new job weeks before the first school bell rings on Sept. 5.

Lyles and the Board of Education are still hammering out the details of her contract with the district, according to board chairwoman Suzanne Mack. Mack said the board hopes to have Lyles’ contract finalized this week and hopes that she will officially begin in her role on August 20.

If the board is able to meet these target dates, Lyles could be in place in time for the next school board meeting on Thursday, Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. That meeting will take place at the Martin Luther King Jr. School (PS 11) at 886 Bergen Ave.

GED Online offered through library web site

Adults who need to complete their high school equivalency degree can take advantage of GED Online, a NJWorks@yourlibrary initiative, through the Jersey City Free Public Library web site, www.jclibrary.org/OnlineResources/GEDOnline.

Developed by McGraw Hill, GED Online prepares users to take the GED test through interactive lessons and quizzes. The site is a comprehensive GED preparation tool, which includes pre-assessment, review , and skill-building, pre-testing, and post-testing.

The program contains content on all five of the subjects tested by the GED exam: writing, social studies, science, reading, and mathematics. GED Online identifies student’s current strengths and weaknesses, with assessments that measure student mastery and remediation lessons for those who require additional instruction. The program also allows administrators to easily track users’ progress throughout the program. Participants receive a valuable hands-on lesson, discussing use and navigation, and an opportunity to obtain valuable practice in studying for their GED diploma.

To take advantage of he tool, students need only to contact a library staff member to create a username and password. GED Online is available at all NJ public libraries